I want to contest from Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency, says BJP MP C.M. Ramesh

BJP's C.M. Ramesh expresses interest in contesting Lok Sabha elections from Visakhapatnam, criticizes YSRCP government, and vows to protect VSP.

Rajya Sabha member from the BJP C.M. Ramesh has said that he is interested to contest from the Visakhapatnam parliamentary constituency for the Lok Sabha and sent a request to the high command. The party high command will take a call on it based on the seat allocations, he said. The BJP is reportedly considering to field him from Anakapalli Lok Sabha constituency. Mr. Ramesh is here in the city to promote BJP’s Viksit Bharat programme on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Ramesh said that the alliance between the Telugu Desam Party(TDP), Jana Sena Party(JSP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) has shocked the YSR Congress Party. The ruling party leaders are not able to digest the formation of the alliance, because all their atrocities will be out, once the alliance forms the government, he said.

Mr. Ramesh alleged that in the last five years, the YSRCP government has extorted crores of rupees from the public in the name of various taxes and other means. By selling liquor alone, the government had made a lot of money, he alleged. The alliance would take steps to extract all the money which was looted by the YSRCP leaders, he said.

The BJP leader alleged that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has failed to address public issues. He alleged that Mr. Jagan was lying at the ‘Siddham’ programme about implementation of promises. But people were well aware of the facts and were eagerly waiting to to send Mr. Jagan home in the coming elections, he said.

Mr. Ramesh alleged that the YSRCP has been spreading false propaganda about the BJP, but it is the BJP which has taken up a number of development activities in Andhra Pradesh. He said that the Centre has spent around ₹1.10 lakh crore for NH projects in the State in the last 10 years.

When questioned about the privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), Mr. Ramesh said that he was the one who had staged a 12-day hunger strike demanding Kadapa steel plant. He said he would strive to protect VSP from privatisation and ensure it regained its past glory.